email: roadarch@outlook.com

California Drive-ins

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Azusa Foothill Drive-in
Azusa, CA		 Mooney Theatre [gone]
Visalia, CA
The Azusa Foothill Drive-in opened in 1961 and closed in 2001. The screen was torn down in 2005 and the property is now used as a parking lot for Azusa Pacific College. This marquee sign remains. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]

The Mooney Theatre opened in 1948 and closed in 2006. It was demolished around 2007. Supposedly, at least one of the top pieces of this sign was moved to the Tulare County Historical Society in 2006. However, when I was there in 2013, no one knew anything about it. For more, see this website. [photo thanks Daniel F.]

Sequoia Auto Theatre
Visalia, CA		 Sky Drive-in Theatre
Yucca Valley, CA
The Sequoia Auto Theatre opened in 1950 and closed around 1985. All that remains is this sign. For more, see this website. [map]

The Sky Drive-in Theatre was built in 1958. The drive-in closed in 1994. Since 1996, the property has been used for a swap meet. The screen is gone but this sign remains. For more, see this website. [map]

Starlite Drive-in
El Monte, CA		 Hi-Way Drive-in
Santa Maria, CA
The Starlite Drive-in opened in 1950 and operated until at least 1975. The screen was demolished in 1997 but the property was still used as a swap meet until 2020. In 2022, it was announced that the property would be developed for housing. In 2024, the sign was being completely restored at SignMakers in Los Angeles. It will be reinstalled in 2025. For more, see this website. [map]

The Hi-Way Drive-in opened in 1959. It was still operating and featured movies and a swap meet until it closed in 2021. The property will be redeveloped as housing. In 2023, the sign was removed and moved to the Sky-Way Drive-in Barstow (see below). For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Skyline Drive-in
Barstow, CA
The Skyline Drive-in opened in 1966. It closed in 1987 but reopened in 1996. The Hi-Way Drive-in (see above) sign was moved here in 2023. For more, see this website. [map]

Roadium Drive-in
Torrance, CA

2013:
2024:

The Roadium Drive-in opened in 1949 and closed in the late 1980s. The property has been used for swap meets since the 1960s. This drive-in is now officially known as the Roadium Open Air Market. The concession stand is still used. The screentower and sign were repainted in 2022. For more, see this website. [map]

Santa Fe Springs Drive-in
Santa Fe Springs, CA
The Santa Fe Springs Drive-in opened in 1950 as the La Mirada Drive-in. In the early 1990s, the drive-in closed and the name was changed to the "Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet & Drive-In". Stadium lights were installed so that the swap meets can take place at night. Movies are featured only a couple of nights per year. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Van Buren Drive-in
Riverside, CA		 Rubidoux Drive-in
Riverside, CA
The Van Buren Drive-in opened in 1964. In 1975, two screens were added. For more, see this website. [map]

The Rubidoux Drive-in opened in 1948 and is still operating. Two screens were added in 1983. This drive-in also features swap meets. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [map]

Midway Drive-in
Eureka, CA		 former Valley Drive-in
Lompoc, CA
The Midway Drive-in opened in 1951 and closed in 1986. The abandoned screen tower still stands. For more, see this website. [map]

The Valley Drive-in was built in 1959. It closed in the 1990s. The property is now used as a recycling center but the sign and screen tower remain. For more, see this website. [map]

Sunset Drive-in
San Luis Obispo, CA
The Sunset Drive-in was built in 1950. It is still operating as a single screen. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]

Santa Barbara Twin Drive-In
Goleta, CA
The Santa Barbara Twin Drive-In opened in 1966 and closed in 1991. In 2010, it reopened as a West Wind Drive-in. This building was used as a refreshment stand. The drive-in closed again in 2019. For more, see this website. [map]

Solano 2 Drive-In
Concord, CA
The Solano 2 Drive-In was built in 1964 as part of the Century Drive-in chain. It closed in 2005 but was reopened in 2007 as part of the West Wind Drive-in chain. The arches are a match for the West Wind Drive-in in North Las Vegas, NV which was also part of the Century Drive-in chain. For more, see this website. [map]

Sacramento 6 Drive-In
Sacramento, CA
The Sacramento 6 Drive-In opened in 1972 as part of the Century Drive-in chain. It had five screens then. The sixth screen was built in the early 1980s. It is now part of the West Wind Drive-in chain. This building serves and the snack bar and projection booth. I assume it was designed by Vincent Raney since it appears to be identical to the drive-in in San Jose described below. For more, see this website. [map]

Capitol Drive-In
San Jose, CA
The Capitol Drive-In was designed by Vincent Raney and opened in 1971. It originally had four screens. Two other screens were added later. It is now part of the West Wind drive-in chain. For more, see this website. [map]